The Health Care Authority (HCA) announced that statewide $138 million of funding will be available for Accountable Communities of Health (ACH) Medicaid transformation projects, pending approval from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The funding is for the first year of the demonstration. The majority of the funding will go to providers participating in the projects. If your hospital or health system is interested in participating in the demonstration projects, WSHA strongly encourages your staff to be involved in those ACH discussions.... Read More >>

WSHA recently released a bulletin explaining details of the decision to pursue “mid-adopter” status for financial integration of Medicaid benefits for behavioral health. WSHA supports financial integration of Medicaid benefits so that patients may have a single managed care organization responsible for benefits and cost of their care. The bulletin includes frequently asked questions about the topic as well as resources.... Read More >>

Recent member news from the June 15, 2017 Weekly Report.... Read More >>

The purpose of this bulletin is to help you understand the implications of regions and counties pursuing mid adopter financial integration of Medicaid benefits for behavioral health.... Read More >>

The purpose of this bulletin is to make you aware of recent developments on the Medicaid demonstration waiver. Recently, the Health Care Authority’s technical advisory consultant, Manatt, released information on the magnitude of dollars available through this work. ... Read More >>

Online Registration will close Monday, June 19 for WSHA and AWPHD's 41st Annual Rural Hospital Leadership Conference at Campbell's Resort in Chelan, so be sure to register now!... Read More >>

U.S. Senate Republican leaders have indicated that they intend to vote on a new version of the American Health Care Act (AHCA) by the end of June. A group of GOP senators have been working behind closed doors to rewrite the House version of the bill. In order to be voted on by the end of June, the new product would likely need to be completed sometime next week.... Read More >>

This Friday, June 9, we will join the American Hospital Association (AHA) in taking a stand against violence —in all its forms — to make our communities a safer place through the Hospitals Against Violence campaign, #HAVhope.... Read More >>

At Othello Community Hospital, a long-running program has sought to make local children and parents more comfortable when visiting the hospital or being a patient. Each year near National Hospital Week, the hospital welcomes second-graders from the community for learning and demonstrations in the hospital’s different departments.... Read More >>

Despite a strong effort by WSHA and other advocacy groups in the state legislature and motions for reconsideration, Volk v. DeMeerleer, a Supreme Court decision impacting delivery of mental health services, remains law in Washington State. Volk found that providers have a duty to warn or protect those who may be foreseeably harmed by a patient, even if no specific individual was identified. The ruling creates ambiguity for providers, as it alters the scope of duty to warn in several critical ways.... Read More >>